Means for supporting telephone-receivers.



PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904.

F. W. ST. JOHN.

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING TELEPHONE RECEIVERS.

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BATENTED OCT. 11, 1904. P. w. ST. JOHN.

, APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1904.

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING TELEPHONE RECEIVERS.

NO MODEL.

withwam UNITED STATES Patented October 11, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK W. ST. JOHN, OF COSHOCTON, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,946, dated October11, 1904.

Application filed April 27, 1904.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. ST. JOHN, a citizen of the United States,shocton, in the county of Coshocton and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Means for SupportingTelephone-Receivers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to telephone apparatus, and is designed toprovide a firm support for the receiver, thereby leaving both hands ofthe user free. Incidental to the construction the user must of necessitymaintain an approximately predetermined distance from the transmitter,thereby insuring proper use of the instrument, which is essential toclear and distinct transmission of sound and articulate speech.

In accordance with this invention the receiver is attached to asupporting-arm, which in turn is carried bya shaft, with which meanscooperate to hold the receiver in the desired position and to break thesignaling-circuit and establish the talking-circuit when moving thereceiver-supporting arm from the normal position.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of "the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention aresusceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a perspective view of a telephone embodying the invention. Fig. 2 isa plan section of the telephone and attachment on the line X X of Fig.3. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the invention on the line Y Y of Fig.2 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof the operating means.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The telephone comprises the transmitter 1,

residing at C0- Serial No. 205,170. (No model.)

receiver 2, and switch mechanism of ordinary construction for shiftingfrom the talking to the alarm circuit, and vice versa, these parts beingof any usual type, according to the system installed.

The switch-operating 3 and corresponds to the hook or arm from which thereceiver 2 is usually suspended. Inasmuch as the switch is of well-knownconstruction, the same has not been illustrated, since it forms no partof the invention. The spring 4 holds the switch-operating lever 3 innormal positionthat is, with the talking-circuit closed. When thereceiver is in normal position, the switch operating lever 3 is moved soas to place the spring 4 under tension and to close thesignaling-circuit and to lever is indicated at open the talking-circuitin the manner well understood in the art of telephoning. A bracket orsupport 5, pendent from thetop of the box 6, pivotally supports thelever 3. A rod 7 is engaged at its upper end with the lever 3 and isprovided with an arm 8, which extends across the path of an arm 9,projected from a shaft 10, journaled transversely of the box 6 andprovided at one end with an arm 11, having the receiver 2 firmlyattached to its upper end. For convenience the upper end of the arm 11is forked and receives the element 2, which is secured thereto in anysubstantial Way.

Detent mechanism cooperates with the shaft 10 to hold the arm 11 andreceiver 2 in the required position, and, as shown, said detentmechanism consists of a plate or disk 12, having a portion provided withteeth 13 and a spring 14, having its end 15 crimped or otherwiseconstructed to cooperate with the teeth 13 to hold the disk 12 and shaft10 in the adjusted or located position. A wheel 16 is attached to theshaft 10, and a flexible connection 17 is made fast at one end to thewheel 16 and at its opposite end to a shaft 18, journaled to a side ofthe box 6 and to a hanger l9, pendent from the top of said box. A spring20 is mounted upon the shaft 18 and is secured at one end to the hanger19 and at the opposite end to said shaft 18.

Under normal conditions the arm 11 occupies a vertical position, asindicated most clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, and the arm 9 presses downwardupon the arm 8. When the receiver is moved forward and downward, the arm11 is turned and the shaft rotated and the switch-operating lever 3,being released, is moved by the spring 1 to break the signaling-circuitand establish the talkingcircuit in the usual manner. As the shaft 10turns, the end portion 15 of the spring 1 1 rides upon the teeth 13 ofthe disk 12 and holds the receiver in the desired position. The receiver2 and its supporting-arm 11 are counterbalanced by means of the springand cooperating parts 18, 17, and 16. As the shaft 10 turns, theflexible connection 17 is unwound from the shaft 18 and the spring 20 iswound, the tension of said spring proportionately increasing as theleverage -of the arm 11 increases when turning the same from a verticalto a horizontal position. The sides of the teeth 13 slope or incline insuch a manner as to facilitate the riding of the bent end 15 of thespring 16 thereon when turning the shaft either to the right or to theleft.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. Intelephone apparatus, the combination of a pivotally-supported armcarrying the receiver, a coil-spring connected with said arm and adaptedto have its tension increased proportionately vertical to a horizontalposition, a disk conas the arm is turned from a nected with said pivotedarm for movement therewith, and means for exerting a yielding pressureupon said disk to holdthe receiver in any adjusted position,substantially as set forth.

2. In telephone apparatus, the combination of a shaft, an arm attachedto said shaft and carrying the receiver, a disk mounted upon said shaftand rotatable therewith and having teeth with their sides oppositelysloped, a yieldable detent cooperating with the toothed disk to hold thearm in an adjusted position, a wheel mounted upon said shaft, aspringactuated shaft, and a flexible connection between said wheel andspring-actuated shaft, substantially as specified.

3. 1n telephone apparatus, the combination of a shaft, an arm attachedthereto and carrying the receiver, detent and counterbalancingmechanisms cooperating with said shaft, arm 9 extended from the shaft, aswitch-operating lever, a rod connected to said switch-operating leverand having a projecting portion normally engaged by the arm 9,substantially as set forth.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK W. ST. JOHN.

